1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integral structure of an indicator and a switch (hereinafter referred to as "an indicator built-in switch unit") which has a switching function as well as an indicating function and which is suitable for use in such a manner that, for example, it is attached on an operation panel of an automatic vending machine such as an automatic ticket vending machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two examples of the prior art indicator built-in switch units of the type as described above are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
In FIG. 1, an indicator built-in switch unit 2 is configured in such a manner that an indicator 12, such as an LED indicator or the like, and a switch 16 are attached on a solid printed circuit board 10 at its front and rear sides respectively (upper and lower sides respectively in the drawing) with a space provided there between for an operation mechanism. The term a "solid printed circuit board" in the specification means a "hard printed circuit board" contrary to a flexible printed circuit board. The solid printed circuit board 10 provided with the indicator 12 and the switch 16 is housed in a casing 8 constituted by a holder 4 and a cover 6 both of which are made of an insulating material, and a portion of the printed circuit board 10 is extended to project outwardly from the housing for use for external connection.
Further, a light-transmissible operation cover 20 is fitted in the front portion of the casing 8. When the operation cover 20 is pushed and released, an actuator 18 of the switch 16 is pushed and released to thereby operate the switch 16 by the action of an operation mechanism constituted by two movable members 22 and 24 and a coiled spring 26 connecting the two movable members 22 and 24 to each other. At that time, an electrical signal externally fed from the switch 16 and another electrical signal externally fed to the indicator 12 correspondingly to the operation of the switch 16 are transmitted through the outwardly extended portion of the printed circuit board 10.
An indicator built-in switch unit 28 in FIG. 2 will be described mainly to point out differences with respect to switch unit 2 in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, items which are the same or equivalent to those shown in FIG. 1 are referenced correspondingly. In this case, a flexible printed circuit board 30 is used in place of the solid printed circuit board 10. The flexible printed circuit board 30 is bent so as to form two, front and rear, stages within the casing 8. Terminals 14 of the indicator 12 and terminals 17 of the switch 16 are soldered respectively to the front and rear stages of the flexible printed circuit board 30. A part of the flexible printed circuit board 30 is outwardly from the rear of casing 8.
The operation mechanism of the switch 16 is constituted by two left and right coil springs 34 and a movable member 32 supported by the two coil springs 34 at their front sides, so that when the operation mechanism is pushed and released by means of the operation cover 20, the actuator 18 of the switch 16 is operated.
However, both indicator built-in switch units 2 and 28 share a disadvantage since they require large depths L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 to provide space for the terminals 14 and the operation mechanism between the indicator 12 and the switch 16, and further because the space for the terminals 17 is necessary at the rear side of the switch 16.
Additionally, in the indicator built-in switch unit 2 of FIG. 1 the terminals 14 of the indicator 12 must be arranged in one row and bent at 90 degrees as shown in the drawing in order to use only one solid printed circuit board 10 to thereby make the switch inexpensive. Accordingly, the pitch of the terminals 14 inevitably becomes small in the case where the number of the terminals 14 is large (for example, 12 terminals are required in an indicator for indication of four digits of numerals), and it is necessary to pay fine attention so that the interval between adjacent terminals is not short-circuited in soldering, making the assembling difficult.
On the other hand, in the indicator built-in switch unit 28 in FIG. 2, the printed circuit board 30 which is flexible and bent transversely is used. Accordingly, the terminals 14 of the indicator 12 can be arranged in two row and there arises therefore no problem of such poor workability as described above. The indicator built-in switch unit 28 is more expensive than the unit 2 using the solid printed circuit board 10 because of use of the flexible printed circuit board 30.
An indicator built-in switch unit of the type as described above basically has a structure in which an indicator and a switch are put into a casing so that the inner switch is operated by pressing a light-transmissible operation cove provided in the front side of the indicator. Further, the indicator can indicate the contents of an electric signal given from the outside.
In recent years, attempts have been made to provide ticket vending machines or the like which can be used by both visually handicapped and non-handicapped persons. In one known example, a plurality of indicator built-in switch units 2 are arranged on an operation panel of a ticket vending machine or the like as shown in FIG. 15 (in which the plane of the paper of drawing corresponds to the operation panel) and are provided with braille tapes 4a (inscribed in braille for respectively expressing the contents of indication for the indicator built-in switch units 2) respectively stuck to the vicinities (for example, upper portions) of the indicator built-in switch units 2.
In the aforementioned configuration, each indicator built-in switch unit 2 and the braille tape 4a corresponding to the switch unit 2 are prepared separately. In particular, in the case where a large number of indicator built-in switch units 2 are arranged side by side in several rows, the distance between upper and lower indicator built-in switch units vertically adjacent to each other is shortened. Accordingly, this case a disadvantage in that the correspondence between the braille tape 4a and the indicator built-in switch unit 2 may be missed (in particular, the upper and lower indicator built-in switch units 2 may be mistaken for each other).
Further, spaces for the braille tapes 4a must be provided. Furthermore, the distance between upper and lower indicator built-in switch units vertically adjacent to each other must be enlarged sufficiently to reduce operation errors. Accordingly, a large space is required and, the operation panel or the like becomes large in size.
Further, as shown in FIG. 26, indicator built-in switch units 2 each having a numerical indicator 4b provided in the back of a light-transmissible operation cover 3a to electrically indicate a fare are used in the conventional ticket vending machine or the like. Or, as shown in FIG. 27, illuminated push-button switches each having a name indication plate 8a provided in the back of a light-transmissible operation cover 7a to indicate (inscribe) both fare and destination are used in the conventional ticket vending machine or the like.
In the indicator built-in switch unit 2 as shown in FIG. 26, a destination and a corresponding fare must be checked through an information display plate, or the like, provided separately and then a switch corresponding to the fare must be searched and pushed. Accordingly, there arises a disadvantage in that much labor is taken for selection of the switch.
On the other hand, in the illuminated push-button switch 6a in which both destination and fare are written as shown in FIG. 27, the aforementioned disadvantage can be almost eliminated. However, the name indication plate 8a must be exchanged for new one whenever the fare is changed. Accordingly, requires labor for the exchanging work.